Twenty-one years ago, the Dragons won their seventh Georgia High School Association state track title.

On Saturday, they clinched their eighth.

Behind Travis Reed's silver-medal finishes in both hurdle finals and the Dragons' gold-medal victory in the 4x100-meter relay to start the final segment of the three-day state meet, Jefferson came from behind and posted 50 team points to capture the Class A state track title at Memorial Stadium.

"We've been talking about it all year long," said an elated Reed, who produced a 16-point effort on Day 3 and ran the first leg of the Dragons' golden 4x100-relay team.

"I think I've aged a couple years the past three days."

Jefferson's anxiety was never more apparent than before the Class A 4x400-meter

relay, the final event of the meet. The Dragons, who failed to qualify either of their relay teams in that event Saturday night, needed the relay contingents from Jenkins County and Landmark Christian to finish no better than second place to seal the title.

They got their wish as Jenkins County placed third and Landmark Christian finished last in the event. The Dragons celebrated in the infield when Calhoun and Temple crossed the finished line, first and second, respectively.

"This is just a great feeling," said sprinter Montray Riley, who ran the second leg of the 4x100 relay team (43.250 seconds) and secured a pivotal fourth-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.82.

"We've worked so hard at practice and at track meets and it finally pays off in front of the state. That was intense watching that (final race). I've never felt emotions like those before."

Jefferson's journey to the state crown was more like a wild adventure. Before the Region 8-A meet, the Dragons lost thrower and runner Mark Baskett when he was severely-injured in a head-on collision in late April.

Then on the first day of the state meet, Courtney Wiley, the defending state champion in the long jump, scratched on all three attempts and did not place.

What's more, the Dragons couldn't overcome a sloppy exchange during their qualifying runs for the 4x400 relay finals and neither the No. 1 nor the No. 2 relay teams advanced to Saturday's finale.

"We had a lot of adversity," said Wiley, who took the baton from his brother Stephen Wiley and sprinted to the finish line to win the 4x100 relay.

"This one right here was him (Baskett). We had to work for it. We didn't have it too easy. It's a lot better when you have to battle for it. Winning that relay set the tone for the whole day."

Though Courtney Wiley didn't place in the long jump on Day 1, the field events weren't a complete disaster for Jefferson. Stephen Wiley grabbed gold in the triple jump with mark of 46 feet, 4 1/4 inches, while William Martin secured bronze in the pole vault with a jump of 12 feet.

Those top-three finishes Thursday gave Jefferson a much-needed boost heading into qualifying on Day 2. The Dragons eventually took advantage, sending Riley, Reed and the Wiley brothers to the finals in five event finals.

"We found a way on the second day," Corbett said. "Every person from Jefferson who touched the track had a personal-best time, the only exclusion being the 4x400 team.

"I was glad to be able to add to this tradition. My goal is to have competitive teams and hopefully we can be able to do that."